The story of Mark Kirby and A.J. Sapolnick raising a doll — Digby– as their son has to be a joke, right? The trio travels the world together, and there are photo albums (including a baby book) to prove it. The couple found Digby in Paris, at a flea market, where he was covered in grime. But don’t ever call him a doll.

That’s a “four letter word,” exclaim the New York couple. “It wasn’t our intention to have a toy,” says Kirby. “Our intention was to create a family, and Digby was going to be part of our family.” Even if he doesn’t talk back? Cry? Date? Age? Apparently.

Digby has seen the pyramids, had a bar mitzvah at age 13, and wears bespoke clothing (often to match what his two daddies are wearing). Raised by a couple of 26 years — who, The Daily concludes, live in a fabulous NYC circle of “opera openings, art shows, and Mayor Bloomberg’s annual Gay Pride barbecue” — the toy is Mark and A.J.’s answer to what they saw around them some twenty years ago: all their straight friends having children. They wanted in, but they didn’t want to change their lifestyles.

They didn’t want him to leave for college either, it seems.

This is either the way I want to raise my children, or some bizarre case study about why gays shouldn’t raise children. I can’t decide.

Even Sebastian Flyte (Brideshead Revisited) left his teddy bear Aloysius behind running away from his over-bearing mother and religion (Catholic).

These two are just bizarre — but its their money and their lives, doing no harm, so what’s the BFD?

Mar 17, 2011 at 4:13 pm · @Reply ·

Adonis-of-Fire

Ridiculous, and why do gay MEN want to raise a baby? That’s more like needy and stupid straight women. It’s not normal for men to want a baby, the only way a man could truly want a baby is if his testosterone levels are ridiculously low, or if he has two sets of genitals; a cooch and a vaj

Mar 17, 2011 at 4:22 pm · @Reply ·

Paul F

Reminds me of something told to me years ago. If you’re rich and do things like this, you’re eccentric. If you’re a poor schmuck and do the exact same thing, you’re labled a nut job. Just sayin’

Mar 17, 2011 at 4:29 pm · @Reply ·

justiceontherocks

I wonder if child protective services has ever taken a doll out of an unfit household.

Mar 17, 2011 at 4:31 pm · @Reply ·

deferr

dear editor, please learn the difference between basic words in the english language.

thanks

“Don’t Call This Gay Couple’s Son A Doll. But That’s Why Digby Is”

Mar 17, 2011 at 4:32 pm · @Reply ·

TJ

Actual true story from about thirty years ago: When I was in college, I was a cook in a restaurant to make tuition. My head chef and his wife worked together there, and always arranged to have their days off together for their daughter Debbie. (name changed by me) “We took Debbie to the zoo yesterday.” or when they went on vacation to Vegas, “I borrowed some money from Debbie’s college fund, now I have to pay it back…”

You guessed it; I walked back into the storeroom one day and there was a doll sleeping in an empty box with pillows in it. That was Debbie. Later, they showed me pictures of Debbie in the park, Debbie climbing a tree, etc. People would give Debbie clothes their kids had outgrown. Mom and dad would walk around holding Debbie and generally freak people out.

So, when you say, “This is either the way I want to raise my children, or some bizarre case study about why gays shouldn’t raise children. I can’t decide.” keep in mind that this was a heterosexual, married, employed couple, thirty years ago. So I don’t think sexual orientation has anything to do with this…

Mar 17, 2011 at 4:40 pm · @Reply ·

Spike

Brilliant!

Mar 17, 2011 at 4:41 pm · @Reply ·

Ogre Magi

What the……I don’t even…./..

Mar 17, 2011 at 4:44 pm · @Reply ·

tazz602

Slow news day?

Mar 17, 2011 at 4:49 pm · @Reply ·

Harbo

This like a Stephen King novel. Glad their rick, otherwise they’d be institutionalized

Mar 17, 2011 at 5:41 pm · @Reply ·

Nathan

@Adonis-of-Fire: You are just plain stupid… child raising is something of which men and women both can take part. If you were straight, you would be a deadbeat dad.

Mar 17, 2011 at 5:52 pm · @Reply ·

Jeffree

Something tells me the local animal shelter stamped NFW on their app to adopt a puppy. Too crazy to take care of a guppy, no doubt.

OMG how creepy! This simply cannot be true. If it is, tell me where they are so I can stay FAR AWAY.

Mar 18, 2011 at 8:41 pm · @Reply ·

ptboat

Can someone tell me why these freaks are featured on every gay blog right now? Are they trying to fulfill Peter LaBarbera’s PR wet dream? Are they trying to show that gay people can be creepy doll people too? Either way, it’s disgusting.

And I thought Calvin Klein’s boytoy was young…but ummm…
money brings on the gay crazy…

Mar 21, 2011 at 1:45 am · @Reply ·

Mike in Asheville

@WEIRD: Haters hate because that’s all they know. Now don’t be blaming a one-in-a-million couple of eccentrics for creating “hate.” Proper blame, though, can be placed on the Roman Cult, the Moron Church, born-again hypocrites, and double-sleaze politicians, Ditto-heads, and all the other minions.

Mar 21, 2011 at 12:53 pm · @Reply ·

Me

Adonis of Fire,

Aw. You’re jealous of women.

Shame. You pussyless uninteresting back alley version of a relationship option.